Internet for GearVR: An Optimized, VR-Supported Web Browser

Rate this ArticleNeed an optimized internet browser for your GearVR? No problem - Introducing Samsung’s brand spanking new web browser – Internet for GearVR! Read on to find out more.

Now that virtual reality is applicable from training future pilots and surgeons to, of course, virtual reality gaming, it is high time someone, or some company, created a web browser that will allow virtual reality users to fully utilize the technology they have at hand to surf the internet in a whole new way. Thus, allow me to introduce to you this brand new web browser app developed by Samsung, called Internet for GearVR.

As quoted from the press release statement by Chan-Woo Park, the Vice President of Product Strategy Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, he mentioned that “As the demand for 360-degree, immersive video content rapidly rises – Samsung Internet for Gear VR further enriches the VR content ecosystem for our consumers, setting an industry standard for the VR viewing experience.” With that in mind, the development team at Samsung has managed to come up with a web browser that doesn’t only do what it is supposed to do – like every other web browsers out there – but also make virtual reality web surfing a lot easier.

One of the main concerns for browsing the internet via GearVR is that you won’t be able to access the on-screen keyboard on your phone as your phone will be inside the device and not in your hands. Thus, Internet for GearVR features an on-screen keyboard along with voice recognition to allow users to “type” in texts into their browsers – something that you wouldn’t be able to do via a normal browser app on your phone.

Interestingly, Internet for GearVR provides a special Gaze mode whereby users can use their gaze like a mouse pointer to navigate through the web. Can you imagine surfing the internet without even lifting a finger? Incredible, isn’t it? Not to mention, since Internet for GearVR is a browser designed for GearVR, it also supports 360-degree and 3D video streaming by fully utilizing the functions inherent in the device. After all, the technology needed to make it work is literally in both your phone and in GearVR!

Naturally, the browser will also have features that our everyday web browser would have, such as the bookmarking feature and the tab manager. It even can import bookmarks from any of your other internet browsers, making the transition from non-VR-supporting browser to a VR-supporting browser as painless as possible. There is a Quick Access aspect as well in Internet for GearVR that allows you to rapidly load the websites you frequent without needing to head over to your possibly messy list of bookmarks to search for the websites themselves.

Sounds just like the thing you need? Well, it sure is! You can get the beta version of Samsung Internet for GearVR for free via the Oculus Store and give this new browser a try today.